Chapter 288

Chapter 288: The Recognition of the Pure White Witch, Cover

The sun is setting in the west.

Outside a flower shop in the old town.

Charlotte fiddled with her camera, capturing the wonderful moment of the girls giving flowers. She looked up at the Pure White Witch holding a large bouquet and thought for a moment before buying a Rose Eden bouquet from the flower shop, adding a touch of vibrant color to the bouquet filled with tulips, forget-me-nots, sage, cornflowers, and gardenias.

——Rose Eden.

Chu Yuanqing remembered it. When she first arrived in Vienna, a little girl had given her a bouquet of Rose Eden flowers by the roadside. This poetic and romantic name comes from Pierre de Ronsard, known as the "poet of roses" in the sixteenth century, who famously wrote "Sonnet to Helene."

The Pure White Witch looked at everyone. She had once lived in a world of scarcity during the end times and spent seventeen years in the modern world facing financial hardship. So, she didn’t quite understand the practical value of giving flowers, but she could read the hidden feelings behind it. With a gentle smile, she sincerely thanked them:

"Thank you! I really love it. As a return gift, let me cook for you today?"

For a moment, everyone except Charlotte cheered in response.

"Yay!"

"I want to eat osmanthus jelly."

"Braised pork ribs."

"As long as it’s Little Qing’s cooking, I’ll eat anything!"

After hearing the cheers from her little fans, Charlotte glanced at her daughter holding a sunflower in her arms. She pretended to casually look at Honey Qing, put away her camera, walked to the front, turned back to everyone, smiled sweetly, showing an enchanting and lovely grin, and said:

"Little Qing, I will keep the bouquet forever with the magic of this moment. Let me slowly teach you on the way home, okay?"

Chu Yuanqing hadn’t had a chance to speak yet.

The shy little cat lowered her bright green eyes and looked at the pink rose given to her by her crush. Her adorable face was filled with surprise as she hurriedly scampered to catch up with Miss Saintess, whispering:

"Sister Charlotte, I want to learn this magic."

The sweet daughter quickly followed after her, holding her sunflower and trotting behind Charlotte with a mix of desire and shy hesitation. After waiting for a while and seeing her mischievous mother say nothing, she mustered her courage, overcoming her "fear" of being held and having her cheeks pinched, and said:

"I also want to keep the sunflower that Little Qing gave me safe, as I don’t want to see it wilt."

Kirimi Miyuki was eager to move, but she always felt that Charlotte had a trick up her sleeve, so she stayed by Chu Yuanqing’s side and didn’t get fooled.

Anyway, once Little Qing learned it, all she would have to do is say it; she wouldn’t need to learn it herself.

Charlotte enjoyed the happiness of being loved and needed by her shy cat and her precious daughter.

Unfortunately, before she could enjoy it for long, a straightforward golden retriever came up quickly, grabbed Miss Saintess’s wrist, and said honestly:

"I want to learn, please teach me."

The Last Diva couldn’t pretend not to hear; she sadly skipped the part where her daughter and the cat were being sweet and happy, switching into teacher mode. She explained magic as they walked, sometimes sharing fun stories about the Countermeasures Bureau, the Ideal State, and magical girls. As she spoke, the little idols’ attention shifted from magic to these little bits of gossip, making them eager to ask questions.

Chu Yuanqing watched Charlotte cleverly steer the conversation, and as she walked with the group, she felt a little younger herself. She looked down at the flowers snuggling in her arms and smiled brightly, even bringing up some stories from the past.

However, unlike Charlotte, she had never worked at the Countermeasures Bureau, so she shared stories from the first playthrough instead.

Many of these were experiences from Slit World, along with some interesting facts about special disaster beasts.

And so, these lively and beautiful girls laughed in the glow of the sunset, filled with warm chatter as they slowly walked back to the castle, catching the kind and amazed eyes of the passersby.

Today’s dinner was as delicious as ever.

The little butterfly and the forget-me-not played happily together.

The green-eyed cat and Little Sakura fixed their eyes on a colorful dog to prevent her from doing anything surprising again.

Because…

The last time Xie Qingxuan caused trouble, her sister was right beside her.

This time, Little Yu, unaware that she was being treated like a toy for fun, was trying hard to overcome her fear of Chu Yuanqing just to steal a few more glances at her sister. It was truly a touching scene.

Chu Yuanqing glanced at Little Yu, whose legs were shaking and face was pale, looking quite pitiful, and felt a bit guilty.

Charlotte poked Honey Qing in the soft waist and quietly asked,

"Aren’t you going to comfort Little Yu? She’s leaving tomorrow, you know."

This was Little Yu’s last day in Salzburg. After her final training session in the morning, she would officially say goodbye and return to her role as a captain-level witch, working hard without any time off.

"This child was already not good with words, and with you making her feel so dizzy, she hasn’t spoken three words to Honey Xuan for six whole days. She even came to eat today just to put on a brave face. You can’t just let Little Yu leave like this, can you?"

Chu Yuanqing hesitated for a moment. She looked at Little Yu, who was shaking and had a tense expression, and still felt that Charlotte’s concern was a bit strange, unable to help but ask,

"You are right, but that way of comforting seems… a bit strange, doesn’t it? And does it really work?"

Charlotte confidently encouraged her,

"Trust me, it will definitely work. Treat Little Yu like Little Shu, gently stroke her hair, and soon she will feel better and won’t be scared of you anymore!"

Pure White Witch thought for a moment, still a bit unsure, but for the sake of her student’s mental health and to help ease the relationship between Honey Xuan and the other girl, she set aside her doubts, put down her chopsticks, stood up, and gently grabbed Xie Qing Yu’s wrist. She said softly,

"Little Yu, come out with me for a moment."

Xie Qing Yu’s mind went blank. The moment her wrist was held, she didn’t feel the softness of the other person’s skin but rather the immense fear as if being chased and bitten by the Death God.

In an instant, her skin burned with a fiery pain as if her flesh was being torn apart. Her insides shook violently, the feeling of her cells breaking echoed in her mind, and the choking sensation that cut off her breath and smothered her soul made her feel lost.

Even if she quickly used her willpower to control herself and the sharp pain caused by synesthesia faded away, the small expressions on her face, the changes in her muscles, and the sudden stillness of her magic were all captured by Chu Yuanqing, who held her wrist, quickly understanding the issue.

The Pure White Witch frowned slightly and no longer gave Little Yu a chance to speak, directly pulling her away from the dining table.

In the restaurant, the little idols looked at each other in surprise.

Xie Qingxuan looked at Chu Yuanqing, who was holding her sister’s wrist and leaving, and a series of bad thoughts burst into her mind. She fought the urge to follow them and continued to eat with her head down, but a strange idea took root in her heart: she wanted to ask Honey Qing what happened to her sister before bed, thinking it might liven things up.

On the other side,

Chu Yuanqing walked to the nearest living room, found a sofa, and sat down with Xie Qing Yu. She looked up at the young student with an encouraging smile and quietly said,

"That’s a good grasp of synesthesia and an excellent reaction; you are instinctively adapting to this pain."

"Little Yu, right now, you are beginning to take on the outline of a warrior."

Xie Qing Yu raised her head in confusion. She thought she would be scolded for her shameful weakness, for not yet meeting Teacher Chu’s expectations, and for being unable to distinguish between daily life and battle out of fear.

But what awaited was a reward unlike any before.

Teacher Chu is so gentle; it’s okay if she doesn’t comfort me.

Just as this thought came to mind, the person’s hand rested on my head, gently stroking my hair with their fingertips.

Xie Qing Yu looked up.

The Pure White Witch’s eyes still held an undeniable authority, but there was also a warmth that felt close, creating soft ripples of light; she lowered her gaze to my face and softly asked,

"Do you think I am comforting you?"

Chu Yuanqing’s lips curled into a smile as she said seriously:

"Now, this is comfort."

"So, what I said earlier was true. I have always said Little Yu is very silly and not very talented. During every training session, I have been very strict, often saying you are not a qualified magical girl and definitely not a qualified warrior, right?"

"But I will say this only because I am very eager."

Chu Yuanqing honestly admitted her mistakes and continued to say:

"Now that I think about it, with such training intensity, all around the world, there probably aren’t many people who can handle it now. Yet Little Yu has never complained about my training being too hard or painful, and has never given up because of it. You have met my expectations, peeled away the outer layer of suffering, drawn strength to move forward, learned many things, and made a lot of progress."

Pure White Witch looked at this student with sincere eyes and said each word clearly:

"You are very excellent."

"You do not need to fear my questioning, nor avoid my gaze, and you do not need to think about how many times you have failed in training."

"Little Yu, you are a wonderful student. Carry the muddy past with you, hold your head high, and continue moving forward. I am very excited to see what kind of answer you will give me in the future."

The words came to an end.

Xie Qing Yu’s mind went blank; she had always felt she did not meet Chu Yuanqing’s expectations.

She had done bad things to Little Xuan and was the sister who was disliked by her; she could not protect her teammates and was an unqualified captain; she failed to fulfill her best friend’s last wish and was a hopeless coward; she had cried during training and thought about giving up countless times, and she was so slow that she still hadn’t mastered the true essence of breathing—she was a complete nobody.

Yet all of this was affirmed, healed, and acknowledged in these words.

How should I express the feelings that arise from this? Joy, emotion, bittersweetness, excitement, and a warmth bursting forth like rare flowers blooming from haunted bones, as if a mountain spring soaked into all her limbs, flowing back to her tortured soul, allowing her tongue to taste the sweetness of achievement, and finally… turning into tears that fell.

Drops of water splashed onto the sofa, breaking into sparkling pieces.

Xie Qing Yu covered her face; she tried to use her magic to make her tears disappear, not wanting to cry in such an embarrassing way, when suddenly Pure White Witch pulled her into a warm embrace, resting her head on the other’s soft, full thigh, and her nose filled with a strange floral scent.

Chu Yuanqing wasn’t very good at comforting the little girl.

Whether comforting Liang Xiaoxiao or comforting Liuli, she used the same methods as a father comforting his daughter.

Naturally, it was the same now.

"It’s okay to cry for a while; everyone has a fragile side, and that is not something to be ashamed of."

Chu Yuanqing raised her hand to play with her braid, and the Lantern Gem in her chest sparkled brightly. She looked down at the person in her arms, her eyes filled with a golden brilliance that resembled the shimmering waves of the sea under the sunset, expressing both loneliness and tenderness.

Xie Qing Yu felt dazed; she caught a whiff of the sweet fragrance and, after many years, found herself immersed in a strange yet familiar love from her mother, as if she had docked in a harbor where she could let down all her defenses.

This was a feeling that even Su Wan, like the white moonlight, had never let her experience.

Because it was not simply blushing and heartbeat, nor was it a friendship built on mutual salvation, or something more ambiguous. It was the pure feeling of a fish returning to the sea, a traveler coming back home. Only a trustworthy and charming elder could give such a sensation.

Xie Qing Yu was undoubtedly lacking in love; even though she had healed that part of herself, leading to a healthy state. Yet, when facing Teacher Chu, who could help her open her heart, she wonderfully immersed herself in it, enjoying a long-lost peace and calm.

After a long time, when those at the dining table were almost done eating.

Xie Qing Yu suddenly woke from her dream, realizing that now was not the time to act spoiled. If Honey Xuan or anyone else saw her, her authority as an older sister and a senior would be completely gone!

Well, even though her authority had never been very strong to begin with.

The Pure White Witch gently stroked Little Yu’s hair, realizing that the person on her lap felt embarrassed. With high emotional intelligence, she said:

"Little Yu, if you don’t mind, please tell me more about Honey Xuan."

In the past, Xie Qing Yu might have hesitated a bit, but now, the earlier affirmations and hugs made Pure White Witch’s importance in her heart soar.

Suppose Teacher Chu had originally held a level in her heart like someone you would visit and gift during holidays, now she would hope that person would come as an elder when she gets married.

So, Little Yu did not hesitate at all and began to share her sister’s past experiences.

Chu Yuanqing listened patiently; she really wanted to know more about the people around her.

This thought was not baseless; since their memories from the first playthrough were completely blank, it was important to learn more about the current them.

Xie Qingxuan’s family is small; Little Yu might be the person who cares about her the most, so the news she shares is naturally significant.

On the other hand, Miyuki has the opportunity to do the same on Dongliu Island, but it is a bit harder for Liuli.

However, to avoid being misunderstood by Honey Xuan,

Chu Yuanqing did not let Little Yu continue resting her head on her lap, and after chatting for a while and exchanging contact information, she ended the conversation and returned to the table where everyone had mostly finished eating.

Of course, even so, the little idols felt that something was very strange.

That was half an hour! Honey Qing can drain Liuli in just 10 seconds, which means she could make a green-eyed cat dehydrated several times in that time!

Especially since Xie Qing Yu’s magical power was extremely strong, even greater than all of theirs combined, this situation could be compared to a girlfriend going out at night with a tall, muscular man!

Little Sakura felt a bit suspicious. Could it be that Honey Qing was low on magic and targeted Honey Xuan’s sister, taking half an hour just to drain her?

Xie Qing Yu felt quite anxious. How did just going out with Teacher Chu for a moment cause everyone’s gaze to shift back and forth towards her? Even Honey Xuan looked at her with a hint of anger.

Just then,

A little butterfly flew back to Xie Qing Yu’s head. It sniffed and exclaimed,

"Little Yu, you have the scent of Honey Qing on you!"

Xie Qingxuan looked softly at her sister sitting next to her. She leaned in, grabbed her sister’s sleeve, lifted it like a little dog, and sniffed it. She really could smell Honey Qing’s sweet scent from her sister.

In an instant, the air around them seemed to grow heavier, and the darkness in her heart began to stir.

Wait, could Honey Xuan be feeling jealous?

Xie Qing Yu suddenly remembered Honey Xuan’s innocent look when she relied on Teacher Chu and realized her strong possessiveness. She felt a wave of panic; she did not want to fight with her sister again before leaving.

The girl tried hard to choose her words. After thinking for a moment, she grabbed the little butterfly and quickly asked for her advice before quietly explaining:

"Well, Teacher Chu only helped me feel better after my training, and we talked about Honey Xuan’s childhood."

After she spoke, the tension around them faded like a receding tide.

Xie Qingxuan stopped pulling her sister’s sleeve and turned back to look at her phone.

Xie Qing Yu felt a sense of relief wash over her. She relaxed and continued eating until she glanced at the Pure White Witch and realized, to her surprise, that she really no longer felt any physical fear towards Teacher Chu.

But instead, there was a sweet fragrance filling her nose, the warmth of fingertips brushing against her hair and cheeks, and a sudden sense of calm settling into her heart.

The heart-wrenching phantom pain transformed wonderfully into the feeling of being embraced.

So, is this Teacher Chu’s purpose?

Boohoo, she is really kind.

Xie Qing Yu felt particularly touched, thinking the teacher was very gentle, completely unaware that this sudden change from hot to cold felt a bit like being in a computer.

After dinner, skipping over Honey Qing taking care of the golden-haired pervert and the ten-thousand-word content about the twisted play of "NTR," a new day dawned once again.

As the morning arrived in Salzburg, it was nearly afternoon in Daxia of the Donghong Federation, and the official website of "Dazzling Stage," which had been quiet for a week, finally had some updates.

This is the preview for the seventh episode and also a sneak peek of Chu Yuanqing’s photoshoot.

On that page destined to quickly reach a hundred million clicks, there was a magazine cover printed with the word [witch]!